Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Takashi Hirota

Katsumi Adachi

Shuichi Akedo

Tsutomu Nagata

Shoji Tomita

Shuhichi Morikuni

Toru Yosioka

An image forming apparatus that can reduce a difference in fog or image density between two facing pages of a booklet formed after duplex printing is provided. A CCD line sensor inputs a series of pieces of image data whose order of printing has been determined in advance. The CCD line sensor, a first storage section, a second storage section, and a calculation section determine a difference in printing density between the first face and the second face of the printing medium after duplex printing. A judgment section judges whether or not to change the order of printing based on the difference in printing density. A control unit controls the order of printing of the image data based on the judgment. An image forming section, a paper supply section, an image reading section, and an operation section print the image data on the printing medium.

Image forming apparatus, image forming method, image processing program, and storage medium storing image processing program

An image forming apparatus is provided having a mechanism that toner density of a toner image is automatically adjusted based on a toner patch. In an image forming apparatus including a document conveying section, a document reading section, an image forming section, a sheet discharging section, a sheet feeding section, a patch density detecting section, and a toner density adjusting section for adjusting density of a toner image depending on a result detected by the patch density detecting section, there are further provided a patch forming section for forming a toner patch, an operation detecting section for detecting an operating state of the patch density detecting section, and a patch printing section for printing the toner patch in response to such a result detected by the operation detecting section that the patch density detecting section does not properly operate, thereby adjusting the toner density based on the patch image.

Image forming apparatus and method with process control for stably forming images

A toner replenishing device of a toner consumption calculating portion calculates a toner consumption using a gray scale value of each pixel in a multiple-value image inputted from an image data input portion. The calculated toner consumption is corrected by a corrected consumption calculating portion, and is then accumulated by a cumulative consumption calculating portion, and thereby a cumulative toner consumption is calculated. A main replenishing amount control portion controls a replenishing roller driving motor so as to replenish a predetermined first replenishing amount of a toner to a developing tank when the cumulative toner consumption reaches a reference consumption or more. Further, an auxiliary replenishing amount control portion controls the replenishing roller driving motor so as to start to replenish a predetermined second replenishing amount of a toner to the developing tank when a toner concentration obtained by a toner concentration obtaining portion reaches less than a start concentration.

Toner replenishing device and image forming apparatus having the same

In the development apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention, a first regulation member for regulating an upper surface of developer is provided on an adjacent and downstream portion with respect to a developer outlet in terms of travel direction of developer. The amount of developer passing below the first regulation member is thus adjusted. On this account, the present invention provides a development apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of maintaining appropriate amount of developer in the developer container by reducing influence of developer fluidity or the like. With stable stirring performance and development performance, the development apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention perform secure development, including the time period until the extra developer overflows and is discharged.

Developer with developer level control, and image forming apparatus having same

A developing device using a trickle system is realized which includes developer discharging means for (i) suppressing changes in discharge of developer due to inclinations of the developing device and (ii) maintaining the stability in amount of the developer in a developer tank. In the developing device, the developer tank includes agitating chambers parted by a partition, and each of the agitating chambers has an agitating screw. Further, discharging openings for discharging an excess of the developer in the developer tank are provided downstream in transport directions of the agitating screws, respectively.

Growing community of inventors

Yamatokoriyama, Japan

Takashi Hirota